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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25397698">Just For a Day</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/dueloffates/pseuds/dueloffates'>dueloffates</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Coffee and Gunpowder [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>CT-27-5555 | Fives | ARC-5555 Lives, M/M, Recovery</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 02:15:14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,784</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25397698</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/dueloffates/pseuds/dueloffates</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Fives promised Echo a date before they set out against the Citadel. A year later and it's time to cash in on that promise.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>CT-21-0408 | Echo/CT-27-5555 | Fives | ARC-5555</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Coffee and Gunpowder [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1828090</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>56</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Just For a Day</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>A follow-up to A Date with Death, though they can be read separately with little issue.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Echo slinked back onto the <em>Havoc Marauder</em> in a state of greater distress than he had left it. Damn Kashyyyk, damn the Kinrath, and most of all damn the Tach! If Echo never had to hear their shrieks again it would be too soon. Without a further word to his squad, Echo turned towards the back of his ship and his cabin.</p><p>He sat down on his bed with a groan, what was left of his legs aching against the prosthetics that snaked up his thighs where the flesh and muscle had been too mangled to save. He could hear something grinding in his hips as he reached for his holocomm. He’d have to get new cybernetics before these gave out in the middle of a firefight. He’d never live it down if Wrecker had to carry him out of battle. There was a message from Captain Rex on the comm that had been left soon after he had departed the ship for the hostile planet.</p><p>“Echo. I need to talk to you about CT-5555. Respond at your earliest convenience.”</p><p>It was the shortest and most formal communique that he had ever received from his former captain. And the most ambiguous. He pressed the call-back option and waited for Rex to answer. Echo knew that Fives had died. He had known from the moment that he had woken up on Skako Minor. If Fives was alive then he would’ve been there. However, Rex had never formally told Echo of his batchmate’s death. Perhaps the captain had found the courage for it now.</p><p>“Echo.” A small projection of Rex appeared in his hand.</p><p>“Captain.” Echo saluted with his robotic arm, the one not holding the holocomm.</p><p>“At ease, Echo. I need to speak to you.”</p><p>"Well, I’m here.”</p><p>“No. Face to face.”</p><p>Oh. Echo had always suspected that their comms had been tapped, there was no reason why they wouldn’t be. He wondered what Rex had to say that he couldn’t risk anyone else hearing. Did he know of the promised date that Fives had left with Echo? Perhaps he suspected that there had been a further relationship between the men, he had found them in each other’s arms the morning before the assault on the Citadel.</p><p>“Where shall we meet then?”</p><p>“I’m sending you our coordinates. I’d advise that you arrive as soon as possible before we’re redeployed, never know what’s going to happen these days.”</p><p>“And from there?”</p><p>“I have permission from General Skywalker to take a day off. We’ll hop over to some planet and grab a drink. Maybe some caf.”</p><p>“Sir…” Echo leaned towards the hologram, at a loss for words. What do you say when your former captain takes the day off to grab a drink with you?</p><p>“You heard me, trooper. I’ll see you soon.”</p><p>As soon as the tiny, blue Rex was gone Echo threw himself back onto the bed in confusion. Had Fives told Rex about their plan after Echo was gone? Or was Rex just genuinely craving the little bit of sanity that the rest of the galaxy held?</p><p>“Damn.”</p><hr/><p>“Captain Rex has asked for me aboard the, umm, whatever General Skywalker’s ship is now. Can we make the rendezvous?” Skywalker had destroyed enough Venators that keeping the names straight was impossible.</p><p>“What are the coordinates?” Echo passed the holocomm to Hunter.</p><p>“Oh yeah, yeah we can make the rendezvous.” Hunter passed the holocomm to Tech, who began punching in the coordinates to the hyperdrive.</p><p>“What’s the occasion?”</p><p>Echo looked over to Crosshair. “Dunno. He didn’t say.”</p><p>“That sounds like your Rex.” Hunter sighed as he sunk into the pilot’s chair.</p><p>“Of course you’d jump when he tells you to.”</p><p>“You know, Wrecker, if you’d jumped when told you to we could’ve avoided that entire encounter with the Wyyyschokk.” Tech materialized behind Echo.</p><p>Echo took a seat as the hyperdrive began to fire up. “Oh, but where’s the fun in that? I really love cleaning webbing out of my gears.” He watched as the stars in front of them blurred into the familiar fractals of hyperspace. “And off my armor, out of my guns, really everywhere.”</p><p>“Bless your heart, Echo, but I don’t.” Tech took the seat opposite Echo.</p><p>“Could always be worse.” Echo shrugged. “As long as we keep the webbing off the fresher door we’re good. Don’t want anyone getting stuck again.” He pretended not to notice the gesture Crosshair made in his direction. He let the view of hyperspace fill his vision as he leaned back in the seat.</p><p>Soon Echo found himself awakening from sleep to the open hanger doors of a Venator as the sound of the landing gear lowering filled the cabin. As soon as the <em>Marauder</em> was still he was up and moving to lower the boarding ramp.</p><p>“Sick of us so soon?” Hunter was the only one to rise with Echo.</p><p>“We’re far past that, Sarge. You’d better not leave without me.” Echo started down the ramp with his sergeant at his back. Two familiar figures awaited them, helmets at their sides. “Commander Cody, Captain Rex.” Echo stopped and saluted, ignoring the huff of exasperation behind him.</p><p>“At ease, Echo. You’re looking well, at least compared to the last time I saw you.” Commander Cody lay a hand on Echo’s shoulder and kept it there for a few moments before drawing away. It was the most affectionate Echo had ever seen the commander.</p><p>“I feel much better, sir. I’ve worked my way up to one square meal a day. Maybe even an evening snack.” That elicited pained smiles from both the officers. Echo decided not to tell them how excruciating he found that meal to be. Readjusting to eating solid foods was a hard battle, and one that he was still fighting.</p><p>“Can you stomach a drink?”</p><p>Not always.</p><p>“Absolutely, Captain.”</p><p>Rex nodded and turned to Cody. “Try not to let General Skywalker wreck the ship until after we return.”</p><p>Cody shook his head. “Sorry, old boy. I have a bet with Wolffe that I intend to win.”</p><p>“Are you willing to open up the betting pool?” Hunter threw his arm around Cody’s shoulder as if the two had been life-long friends. The look in Rex’s eyes signaled to Echo that it was time to leave.</p><p>“That depends on what you’re betting. If you’re trying to pawn one of your men off on me again…” The conversation died away as Echo followed Rex to a small shuttle docked on the other side of the hanger. Echo settled in the co-pilots chair and watched as Rex went through deployment procedures.</p><p>“So where are we going?”</p><p>“Raydonia.”</p><p>“Raydonia?”</p><p>“Yeah.” With the all-clear signal Rex brought the shuttle up from the hanger floor and out of the belly of the ship. “Neutral world, fairly out of the way.”</p><p>“When you first called you said this was about Fives.” Echo watched as the navicomputer calculated the coordinates for the hyperdrive.</p><p>“It is. A few months ago, there was a malfunction in one of my men’s inhibitor chips. It caused him to kill one of the Jedi we were accompanying.” Rex took a deep breath, allowing the information to sink in. “Fives went with the clone to Kamino and he found what he believed to be evidence that the inhibitor chips were meant to make us more violent, rather than less.” With the calculations complete, the shuttle leapt into hyperspace.</p><p>“What happened to the clone?”</p><p>“Tup died.” The name sounded familiar. Echo wondered if they’d ever met. “Master Shaak Ti took Fives to the Chancellor to explain his case. Fives attacked him.”</p><p>“Fives would have never-“</p><p>Rex held up a hand. “That’s what the Chancellor reported. The Coruscant Guard isn’t so certain. One of the members of the guard said that the Chancellor whispered something to Fives before he attacked. Fives initially escaped in the confusion, but they tracked him down. I was there when they found him.”</p><p>“Who killed him?”</p><p>“Officially, Commander Fox.”</p><p>Echo thought he’d break. He’d known that Fives was dead, but it was another thing for it to be admitted. Instead, he felt strangely calm. Maybe the calm was worse.</p><p>“And unofficially?”</p><p>“Unofficially, Fox is a bastard. Loyal as hell, but stubborn as it too. After Ahsoka Tano was framed for the temple bombing he decided to start conducting his own investigations without the interference of the Senate, including taking his own prisoners. He stunned Fives and took him into custody, told the rest of us that he’d killed him, but the body had fallen. He didn’t tell me until a week later, when he’d confirmed what his men had said about the attack.” Rex looked back to Echo, who had a faraway looked in his eyes and refused to meet his captain’s gaze. “Fives is alive, Echo.”</p><p>Echo closed his eyes and brought his hands up to his face. He should’ve been happy. This is what he’d wanted to hear. In the month he’d been back, in all of his spare moments, all he’d thought about was Fives and that last night when he’d held him in his arms. But now he felt angry and betrayed. He knew it wasn’t fair, but he couldn’t move past it. When he felt that he was composed he spoke again.</p><p>“Who else knows?”</p><p>“Just me, Fox, and now you.”</p><p>“He’s alive.”</p><p>Rex looked back at Echo with a soft smile. “Yes, he’s alive. And looking forward to seeing you. I understand the two of you have some unfinished business.”</p><p>“Sir, I can-“</p><p>“Fives told me everything after Lola Sayu, you don’t have to explain.”</p><p>Echo sighed in relief. “Thank you, Rex.”</p><p>The conversation died out after that. What else was there to say? Echo allowed his mind to stray from him through the rest of the flight, through the landing, and right until he found himself standing in front of a blank door with Rex, both dressed in civvies. He felt exposed and vulnerable without heavy plastoid covering, but they couldn’t have shown up dressed as themselves. He had been surprised at how well the clothes had fit before he realized that, though he was malnourished, he and Rex both wore the same size in everything. He’d never considered that before, to him and to most beings who spent the majority of their time around the clones everyone looked different. He hoped that was the case more often than not, as with hoods pulled over their heads he and Rex may as well have been identical. Except Rex didn’t look as though a strong breeze would knock him over.</p><p>“I’ll have my comm on.” Rex stepped back from Echo, who turned to face him again.</p><p>“Thank you.”</p><p>Rex nodded. “Just grab me some caf on your way out and we’re even.”</p><p>Echo waited Rex’s footsteps faded, then knocked on the door. After a brief pause the door slide open and Echo found himself face-to-face with a stranger.</p><p>“You look like hell.” The other man spoke first. Echo felt a dissonance hearing his own voice and seeing his own eyes in a different body. Maybe the stranger had always had a clone’s body. Despite the stranger’s blank forehead and hidden features Echo felt the warmth of familiarity rise in his chest as all the anger that had festered inside him on the trip there dissipated.</p><p>“I hate the beard.” But there was no malice behind his words.</p><p>“You should consider one too, you could cut durasteel on your cheekbones right now.”</p><p>“You should see the rest of me.”</p><p>“Maybe I will. Come in, come in.”</p><hr/><p>Fives stepped back to let Echo cross the threshold. Once the door closed, he took a step forward and lowered the hood that covered Echo’s head.</p><p>“What did they do to you?” Fives hesitantly reached out and ran his fingers along the rivets that dotted Echo’s skull. From the scarring, he could tell that they used to be larger. His hand came to rest by Echo’s ear, the inside of which was scarred and now held an audio receiver. The explosion couldn’t have produced this level of scarring. “How many tubes did they stick in you?”</p><p>“Not now, Fives. It’ll kill the mood.” Echo reached up to run his fingers through the short beard that covered Fives’ face. But there was something wrong even in that. Fives reached for Echo’s other hand and found himself holding a droid socket arm.</p><p>“Echo. If I’d known that you were alive-“ Echo rested a finger on Fives lips.</p><p>“You and Rex would’ve fought through hell to find me. I know. I watched Rex do it.”</p><p>“I should’ve been there with him.”</p><p>“Aren’t you busy enough playing dead like an Onderonian opossum?”</p><p>“I might as well be dead. Maybe it would be better than finding out what’s in store for us clones.”</p><p>“What’s going on with the inhibitor chips, Fives?”</p><p>“Not now, Echo. It’ll kill the mood.” Fives pulled on his brother’s mechanical arm and brought the man into a hug. Fives let his hands wander down Echo’s back and found himself tracing the metal outcrop that sat over Echo’s hips. He promised himself that he would inspect all of Echo’s mutilation later.</p><p>“So, what topics do we have that don’t kill the mood?”</p><p>“A few blocks away is a wonderful café run by a couple from Spira. They have the most wonderful Spiran caf.”</p><p>Echo hummed into Fives’ chest. “You did promise me a date.”</p><p>“I did, and I’m looking forward to fulfilling my promise.” Fives reached past Echo for a pouch that hung by the door. “After you.”</p><p>Fives hadn’t hated his time on Raydonia. Fox had left him at a refugee camp that had soon become a bustling little town in the few months he’d been living here. It was boring, but anything was boring compared to service in the GAR. Fives had picked up some mechanical skills in his life and found that he was welcomed for his talents by the residents. Enough to earn him the credits to scrape by in the settlement. He was certain that they all just traded the same few credits back and forth, had even marked a few to see if they would come back to him, but it kept everyone afloat.</p><p>Echo had pulled up his hood when they stepped outside, covering his scars and protecting his pale skin from the sun, but beings still glanced their way when they walked by. Echo was a stranger to this place, and a loud one at that. Despite the muffling of the pants, there was distinct mechanical clicking to his every step.</p><p>“Hope they’re not sending you on any stealth missions nowadays.”</p><p>“I know, I know. The Techno Union’s tech just isn’t geared towards humanoids.”</p><p>“Should get some of that good Mandalorian work like Darth Maul.”</p><p>“Who? No, wait. I can find him in the database.”</p><p>Fives watched with a grin catching at his lips as Echo’s gaze became distant. “I’m never going to read again, Echo. All I have to do is never leave your side and I’m good.”</p><p>“Wouldn’t mind that.” Echo’s focus turned back towards Fives. “So long as you don’t mind adjusting the screws in my spine from time to time.”</p><p>“Will I have to work on your old-man hearing aid too?”</p><p>“It’s just the one ear.”</p><p>“One ear more than me.” Fives felt a sudden rush of regret. He’d had Echo back for less than an hour and he was going to drive him away if he-.</p><p>“I’m sorry, could you say that again? I couldn’t hear you.” Echo cupped his ear in an exaggerated motion towards Fives, who let himself laugh as the regret left him.</p><p>“No, I can’t. I’m a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.” He took Echo’s hands, well, hand and socket, in his and tilted his head towards one of the few permanent structures in the area. “Just like this caf we’re about to have.”</p><p>“It can’t be that good.”</p><p>“I’ve been waiting for this for over a year. It’d better be that good.”</p><hr/><p>Echo sat down at the table furthest away from the others frequenting the place while Fives walk over to the counter to order. In the dimmer corner of the restaurant he pushed down his hood and hoped that no one would spare more than a glance in his direction. He still felt incredibly exposed. He was used to seeing the same four faces every day and the novelty of his appearance had worn out on the <em>Marauder</em>. Not so here.</p><p>“How much do you remember?” Fives brought back two steaming mugs, handing one to Echo as he spoke. “From Skako Minor, that is.” He sat down opposite Echo at the small table.</p><p>“Nothing.” Echo held the cup up and breathed in the citrus scent of Spiran caf. “I remember running towards the shuttle at the Citadel, then I woke up in Rex’s arms and a year had passed. For me, it’s only been a month since we left for Lola Sayu. Cody gave me his logs to read, I know about Umbara and the Jedi Temple bombing, but I can’t seem to reconcile them in my head.”</p><p>“Be glad you weren’t here for Umbara. Jesse and I nearly got ourselves shot.”</p><p>Echo knew that the situation was more serious than Fives’ tone let on. “That sounds like Jesse. He’s an ARC Trooper now, you know.”</p><p>“I didn’t.” Fives took a sip from his mug. “Are you still an ARC?”</p><p>“I don’t know.” Echo slowly raised the mug to his lips. “I don’t think I deserve it.”</p><p>“Of course you deserve it, Echo! Isn’t there a saying about how ARCs are all mouths and kamas? They never mentioned good decision-making.”</p><p>“Are you saying I make poor decisions?”</p><p>“Well, you’re on a date with me.”</p><p>Echo took a dramatic sip of his caf. “Mm, yes, that beard. It’s not growing on me.”</p><p>“Well it’s growing on me, so you’ll have to deal with it.”</p><p>“Or, you could shave it all off and come back with me to the <em>Havoc</em> <em>Marauder</em>.”</p><p>“That’s a horrible name for a ship.”</p><p>“You should meet its crew. Can’t you see it, Fives? The <em>Havoc</em> <em>Marauder</em>, carrying me, my boyfriend, and a bunch of defective clones across the galaxy.”</p><p>“Oh, I’m your boyfriend now?”</p><p>“In my hypothetical scenario, yes. We don’t have enough cabin space for you to not be. We found you stranded on some world with amnesia. No clue what your CT number is, but you didn’t bite so we took you in. Maybe we call you Fives because you scratched us five times trying to get you on board.”</p><p>“I sound less like a recovered soldier and more like a stray Loth-cat.”</p><p>“Well no legion is going to want to deal with a feral Loth-cat, Fives. If they ever get too comfortable, we’ll tell them you piss the bed.” The timing was perfect for Fives to choke on a sip of his caf. Echo reached over to pat Fives’ back as he tried to recover.</p><p>“Please, tell me you’re serious.” Fives coughed out.</p><p>“Bed-wetting isn’t a laughing matter, Fives. We’ve got half a mind to dump you on some backwater but for the kindness of our hearts.”</p><p>Fives waited for the coughing fit to die out before continuing. “Is your heart cybernetic too?”</p><p>“Actually, I don’t know. I was too scared to ask.”</p><p>“I’ll have to check out the damage for myself later, with my hypothetical boyfriend.”</p><p>“You’ll join us?” Echo couldn’t have hidden the enthusiasm in his voice if he tried.</p><p>“I think that if anyone could pull this off it would be us. Kriff, we deserve it. I’ll even forgive your shrine to me in your cabin.” Fives winked.</p><p>“It’s just your helmet.”</p><p>“How did you get your hand on that?”</p><p>Echo resisted the temptation to hit Fives with the socket. “Captain Rex. He said you told him everything.”</p><p>“Yeah, I did. I needed someone to talk to, and I figured that he already knew. I’m glad that I did, or otherwise this may have never happened. Though I imagine he wasn’t thinking this would end with me joining my boyfriend- sorry, hypothetical boyfriend- and his crew of defective clones in their intergalactic whatever-you-do.”</p><p>“So that’s a yes.”</p><p>“Damn it, Echo. Of course it’s a yes.”</p><hr/><p>There wasn’t much to grab. Fives wasn’t accustomed to owning things and the few articles of civilian clothing and the single pot he owned fit comfortably inside his only bag. He took one last look around the place he’d called home and was surprised when he didn’t feel upset at the loss. The look in Echo’s eyes when Fives had agreed to join them still lingered and blocked out any regret.</p><p>Rex didn’t seem to be surprised to see Fives accompanying them, and gratefully accepted the presented caf. They would meet with the <em>Havoc Marauder</em> before Rex reported back to the Venator; there would be less questions this way. “We’ll have to be quick, troopers. The fleet is about to be deployed to Yerbana.”</p><p>Fives sat in the cargo hold during takeoff, the cockpit was only the two seats, listening to the whine of the engines and still holding the image of Echo’s eyes in his mind. Once the familiar noise of the hyperdrive kicked in he was joined by Echo.</p><p>“You’re sure that you want to do this?” Echo lowered himself so that he was seated next to, slightly behind, Fives and wrapped his arm around the other man’s shoulders.</p><p>“If I wasn’t sure I wouldn’t be here.” Fives leaned into the gesture and allowed himself to fall slightly back against Echo. Despite the scars and bits of durasteel visible across the rest of Echo’s body, his torso was still warm and soft beneath Fives’ head. “We’ll take this one step at a time.”</p><p>“I don’t have legs anymore, Fives.”</p><p>“We’ll take this one shuffling floor drag at a time.”</p><p>Echo laughed into Fives’ shoulder, then allowed himself to relax against him. Fives closed his eyes and listened to the sound of Echo’s heartbeat. All the events of the last year had been worth it for this. Later on he would tell Echo of the inhibitor chips, of Tup and General Tiplar, he would explore the damage that had been done to his brother, and perhaps shave his scorned beard. Maybe Fox would have word for him concerning the corruption on Coruscant. The war would be ending soon and who could know what lay in store for them. But before any of that could happen, he would stay here with Echo and be thankful that they were alive.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>*My first draft* This is exactly how Fives survived being shot through the heart.<br/>*My second draft* Nobody here cares about canon.<br/>This was a lot longer than I anticipated and I wouldn’t be surprised if I write more in the future, especially with the Bad Batch show coming out! Very excited for more Echo content and post-Order 66 clone angst. It’s going to hurt and I’m ready for it.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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